Dell DVD player region change limitations

Hi!

I've got an i9300 (great computer!!!). I buy DVDs on eBay (cheaper and limited to non-availability of some that I'd like to have).

As a result, occasionally I purchase DVDs from different regions (Pal 2, 4, etc.). The last one I put in was a DVD that I got from the BBC (region 2) and when I put it in, I got a message from the computer saying that I only had a limited amount of region changes left. When I make my 'last' change, then my DVD player is irretrievably locked at that region code position.

I contacted Dell tech support and they told me that this is an industry standard for DVD players to stop copyright infringements. They said that there is nothing I can do short of buying a new DVD player which would put me back to the first limit which is 5. After those five, I'd have to install another new DVD player, etc, etc,etc.

The person to whom I spoke said that there might be, somewhere in Google, a site where I could find a way around this 'problem'. I wouldn't know where to begin to look for that and, even if I did find it, I might not even recognized it.

So, (finally, here it is...) is there a way around those restrictions and, if there is, where would I find it? Or... does one of you already know a way around this situation?

 

All retail DVD drives are Region Locked (with 5 changes). This keeps 1 billion Chinese-HongKong DVD copies from hitting US shelves / you get the idea.

YOu would have to KNOW the model of your drive, before you begin. Several places have reworked firmwares, that remove Region Lock.

--READ Everything twice, before you flash---You can kill your drive---

Sony / LiteOn
http://codeguys.rpc1.org/

MOst Others
http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_all.php

 

Depends on your dvd drive, sometimes all you need is a program that works with all region codes, like videolan player or media player classic

Other times, it is locked in the hardware and you would indeed need a firmware hack

 

Use the search term "DVD region-free". You'll find websites which offer modified DVD drive firmwares which remove that region lock.
You only need to know the exact DVD drive model you have (use system tools to find that out). The rest is easy.
It's usually the first thing I do when I get a new computer.

 

AnyDVD is another one that works.

 

Hi!

Thanks for your help, guys! My son-in-law helped me to get it done. We followed your combined advice and found a firmware thing that did the trick. I just watched but I think he eventually went the route of http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_all.php.
It removed the counter and works like a charm. :dell: